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Jail release services are provided at a local level by various organizations. The criteria for receiving the assistance of jail release services varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The level of assistance provided is also determined at the local level. For example, New York City's jail release service organization requires inmates to have received mental health counseling while in custody.

Jail release services were created because those newly released from prison may not have income and may find it challenging finding employment and the services they need. The goal of release services is to insure that prison served as a reformation and to prevent former inmates from returning to crime as the result of not being able to transition back into the community.

In addition to providing assistance upon release, legislation has been introduced to prevent prisoners from being released on days and times when assistance is not readily available. As with the jail release services, the mentality is that the time immediately after their release is the most critical for former inmates to successfully re-enter society.